


Hugging (Day 6)

by whenfandomscollide



Series: Winterspider February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, February Ficlet Challenge, M/M, Winterspider February Ficlet Challenge 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:35:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22584940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenfandomscollide/pseuds/whenfandomscollide
Summary: Apparently, the middle of chemistry class is the perfect time to bring up relationship issues with your boyfriend...
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Peter Parker
Series: Winterspider February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619374
Comments: 5
Kudos: 104
Collections: Winterspider February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	Hugging (Day 6)

**Author's Note:**

> Winterspider February Ficlet Challenge 2020
> 
> Day 6 Prompt: **Hugging** | ~~Metal Arm Kink~~ | ~~We're both funeral crashers~~ | ~~So tell it to my face, don't hide behind poetry, I'll find a better place for you and all your apathy~~
> 
> I'm not sure if this experiment would even be done in a high school setting, but to do it properly and safely they would need a ventilation hood. Since that would require them to raise their voices to hear what each other was saying and this is very much a private conversation, let's just pretend it's not necessary and handwave all that kind of stuff.

“Is it weird,” Peter said, as he re-heated the vial he’d added exactly 2g of potassium hydroxide to as per the lab prac instructions, “that we don’t really touch in public?”

Bucky tried to side-eye him while still watching for the colour change that was supposed to be occurring in their vial. “No?”

A shout and cursing from the other side of the classroom drew their attention for a moment, indicating that somebody either hadn’t read the instructions properly or had been messing about.

A few seconds later, the liquid in their test tube turned a bright green as it boiled, and Bucky set the timer for 5 minutes.

“Why would you ask if it’s weird that we don’t really touch? To me, that question is the weird thing.”

Peter gave him an unimpressed look. “Because we’re supposed to be dating?”

Bucky looked confused for a moment. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“You are kidding me, right?”

Bucky’s expression grew mulish. “Who’ve you been listening to? Who’s made you feel like we can’t be in a relationship unless we’re all over each other?”

Peter switched the torch heating the vial to his other hand for a moment, shaking out the cramp he’d developed holding it at such a controlled angle before switching back, avoiding Bucky’s gaze all the while.

“Just some girls in the library,” he admitted quietly, when he finally answered the question. “They didn’t know I was sitting on the other side of the stacks and could hear every word.”

“And what did they say, exactly?” Bucky’s voice was equally quiet but the undercurrent of anger in it was clear.

Peter hesitated. “One of them, I don’t know who, before you ask, said she couldn’t work out what a nerd like me and a bad boy like you were doing together.”

Bucky snorted, disgusted and amused in equal measure.

“And then somebody else said they didn’t believe we really were together because we never touch each other. We just, and I quote, ‘hang around in the same vicinity like it’s a coincidence we happen to be in the same space at all,’ end quote.”

Bucky turned the timer off as Peter turned the torch off and set the vial aside to cool. He took a few calming breaths before he said, “I want to tell you not to listen to those idiots, but you wouldn’t have brought it up if you weren’t upset, right? Does it bother you that we don’t touch in public?”

Peter nodded slowly, expression troubled.

Bucky raised his eyebrows. “And you couldn’t have said something yourself?”

Peter gave a rueful smile. “I hadn’t really realised it was bothering me until those girls brought it up.”

“Oh, Petey.”

Peter blushed at the endearment. “Would you mind if, maybe, we started with hugging? Would it be OK to hug in front of everyone?”

Bucky nodded and opened his arms up to do just that.


End file.
